


Rebound

by I May Age Regress (shnuffeluv)



Series: Gibbs' Family [23]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Age Play, Age Regression/De-Aging, Direct Sequel to Piglet, Eating Disorders, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It, Gen, Making Up, Non-Sexual Age Play, Not On Purpose Don't Freak Out, Please Don't Kill Me, Recovery, Sequel, Sorry for putting this off, accurate tag is accurate, is it a fix-it if it was your own work???, w/e i've been up since about 3:30 am
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-05
Updated: 2017-05-05
Packaged: 2018-10-28 08:36:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10827687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shnuffeluv/pseuds/I%20May%20Age%20Regress
Summary: Direct sequel to Piglet, because reasons and I needed this fixed fast on a personal level. Tony's POV on making up with Katie and Kate.





	Rebound

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick note, if you read the tags, please don't kill me, a high fever was keeping me awake and I took some Advil I just can't fall back asleep. And very specifically to a very specific someone, don't kill McGee over being up until like one and then waking up at three-thirty (wait...didn't actually say what time I fell asleep...ah, whatever. No RegretsTM). Tim was the one staying up late, and no one could control the fever. So...kinda his fault, but in another sense also not???  
> ...Anyway. Time to get on with the story!

Tony was nervous when he looked up from his desk to see Papa and Katie walk out of the elevator. And it really was Tony, not DiNozzo, because DiNozzo could deal with the thought of being teased and brought down and having a bruised ego. Tony was just worried Katie was gonna get mean again.

Papa walked up to his desk first, tapping on the edge of it with one knuckle. "Feel better yet?"

Tony slowly nodded.

Papa smiled. "Good. Keep eating, baby boy, you know what happens if you stop suddenly."

Dizzy spells. Fainting. Embarrassing stomach growling. If it goes on long enough, hospital. Tony nodded again. He didn't want that, and he had a granola bar in his desk if he couldn't wait until dinner to eat again. "I will," he promised. Maybe not as much as Papa would like, but that would eat him up with guilt if he did, so he might eat normally, just not in front of Kate.

Papa's smile grew and he nodded, heading to his desk. Tony turned to his computer. He had to try and be big. He was at work, and he could be useful, he just had to be big..."Tony?"

And just like that, he was back at square one. He looked up at Katie. "Yeah?"

Katie shifted on her feet, looking anywhere but in Tony's eyes. "I'm really, _really_  sorry for what I said. I never should have done it. I knew better and I did it anyway, and I really hurt you in the process. I understand if you don't want to forgive me, but...I'd like to put this behind us and try to keep moving. I won't do it again."

Tony chewed his lower lip. Katie felt incredibly guilty, and he a part of him wanted her to feel that way for a while. But a larger, littler part of him just wanted her to stop looking so darn _sad_. "Thanks," he said quietly. "We can try?"

Katie offered him a small smile and he gave one back. "If you're still hungry, we can grab a sandwich from that cafe you like? I'm buying," she offered.

Tony considered. The shake had filled him up a lot, and it was still early afternoon. "Maybe if the case runs late," he allowed. "I'm kinda full right now."

Katie nodded and ran a hand through her hair. "Let me know if you're hungry, you know? I can go out and grab something for both of us."

"You don't have to--" Tony started, but Papa cut him off.

"Yes, she does. This is her punishment."

"Oh." Tony didn't know how to respond to that. He didn't like the thought of someone being in trouble because of him, especially if he was the one being silly in the first place. _What do you mean, unhealthy? You look the best you've been in years! Not to mention you're easy on the paycheck now!_  He shook away the sound of his father's voice, and tried to focus on the sounds in the office. Phones ringing, Papa and Kate talking about something, his own breathing as he did those tricks Uncle Ducky had taught him. Papa was eyeing him. "What?"

"Need to take some laps, Tony?" Papa asked.

Laps. Papa only asked if he needed to take laps when he was little at work and needed to calm down. Did he look that out of it? He smiled slightly and shook his head, turning to his computer. Case, case, case. What case were they working on again? Right, dead marine and his dead brother. Petty Officer Johnson. They needed a location on a witness that could help them, who had ran the second they left her alone. His computer beeped with an e-mail, and he saw a result on the BOLO they had put out.

Forcing himself to be big, DiNozzo clicked the e-mail and gave it a solid once-over, confirming it was their woman. "Boss, got a hit on the BOLO," he called.

"Get the truck, I'll meet you downstairs," Gibbs said, tossing the keys to him. "Kate, you too."

Kate nodded, and when DiNozzo made his way to the elevator, Kate followed. He grimaced inwardly--she was undoubtedly going to try and apologize again, or radiate guilt, or in general not move on. They got on and DiNozzo pressed the button for the garage. To his surprise, Kate didn't say anything. Not another apology, not an explanation, not even a self-deprecating comment. And she didn't send him pitying looks or chew on her lip anxiously or show any signs of anything except trying to move on.

They got off and prepped the truck, and still Kate didn't say a word about what had happened. In fact, she was only talking about what they needed to restock soon in way of evidence containers. "...And we need more vials for liquid samples," she finished. "I'll have to put that request in when we get back."

DiNozzo idly nodded as they closed the back of the truck and climbed into the front. An awkward silence fell over them as they waited for Gibbs. DiNozzo turned his phone on and pretended to check for messages, knowing full well no one had contacted him recently. Kate turned to stare out the window. They glanced at each other and started talking at once.

"I just need to say one last thing..." Kate started.

"I think you should know--" DiNozzo said. He cleared his throat. "Um. You first."

Kate shook her head. "No, go ahead."

DiNozzo cleared his throat. "I don't know if anyone told you, but I'm a recovering anorexic. That comment wasn't funny."

"Abby told me about it when she took me out of the room," Kate admitted. "I didn't think, and I screwed up badly. And I can't guarantee that I won't screw up again. But I'm going to make my best effort not to. I just thought you should know. And if you can't forgive me for a while, that's okay. I don't expect you to."

DiNozzo looked over at her, brows furrowed. "Of course I forgive you. Why wouldn't I?"

"Because I caused you to almost faint at work? I triggered you horribly? I'm not pure evil, Tony, but those actions can't just be swept under the rug. You don't have to forgive someone if they seriously hurt you and you're not ready to."

DiNozzo hummed. "Really?" he asked. He had never heard about that before. He was always told to forgive, forgive, forgive. _Your father is just having a hard time. Your mother's death was hard on everyone, he'll come around. You can come off strong, Tony, cut your dad a break every once in a while._  "That's a joke that I've never heard."

"It's not a joke, Tony," Kate said. "It sucks if someone doesn't forgive you right away, but some wounds take time to heal, and time to forgive."

DiNozzo nodded. He was still healing from some of his dad's actions. "...Is it possible to not forgive someone?"

Pain flickered across Kate's face, and she nodded. "Some actions you just...can't excuse. And that's okay, too."

"That wasn't directed at you!" DiNozzo said, a bit too quickly for his liking. "It was about someone else. Someone...different," he finished lamely.

"Not someone _here_?" Kate asked.

DiNozzo shook his head, a frown forming on his face. "No...someone who hopefully I'll never see again."

Kate grimaced, but nodded. "So...are you still forgiving me? You don't have to, and I don't blame you if you don't."

"Of course I forgive you," DiNozzo said. "You didn't know and we cross lines teasing each other all the time. Well, mostly I do. Point is, I won't hold it against you. _This_  time."

Kate offered him a half smile. "Thank you, Tony...that means a lot."

DiNozzo smiled back when Gibbs ripped open the driver's side door, growling, "If you two are done playing Doctor Phil, we have a witness to question."

* * *

That night, Tony was sitting in the back of Papa's car, sucking on his fingers and staring out the window, refusing to look anywhere else. Despite himself, he was nervous about seeing Katie again. Despite her wanting to move on, despite her strides towards it all day, he still didn't want to see her. Papa was giving him looks in the rear view mirror, if the stinging sensation on the side of his head was anything to go by. He didn't say anything, though. If Papa wanted to know so bad, he could figure it out for himself.

"Are you having second thoughts about coming over, kiddo?" Papa asked.

Tony shook his head. He definitely needed to come over. Papa would make him eat, and he might not otherwise. No, he wouldn't last long alone tonight.

"...Is the thought of seeing Katie bugging you?" Papa's voice was gentler this time, softer.

Tony hesitated. Papa loved getting to look after Katie. How would he respond if Tony said he didn't want to see her? Who would he choose? Or would he rather have both of them be miserable in the same house together?

"Tony," Papa said. "Look at me, please."

Not wanting to, but listening to the instructions all the same, he looked over to where Papa was sitting. "If you don't want Katie to come over I can explain to her that you need some alone time and that she and I can have some alone time too on another night. Would that make you feel better?"

In theory, it sounded fantastic to Tony. But at the same time, he knew nothing would be fixed if he ran and hid every time he had to see Katie. "Jus' wanna not feel sick," Tony said. "Katie makes it hard."

Papa clucked his tongue in sympathy. "And you want to stop that sooner rather than later," he finished what Tony was trying to say. "That's brave of you, kiddo. Just know that if you get overwhelmed, I'll do my best to make sure both you and Katie are okay. It's not a matter of choosing one over the other; it's making sure both of you come out the other end fine."

Tony nodded and returned his eyes to the window. They were almost at Papa's house. They had just passed the elementary school and soon they'd be pulling into his neighborhood. Tony swallowed. He'd have to play with Katie tonight while Papa made dinner. He didn't like the thought of that.

But it was too late for second thoughts. Papa pulled into the driveway and Kate followed soon after. Tony wanted to cry when Papa opened his door and Tony climbed out, however much he didn't want to. Katie was standing outside her own car, smiling at him slightly. Tony ducked his head and followed Papa inside.

"I need to start dinner right away if we want it at a reasonable hour," Papa said. "Can you two keep yourselves entertained for a bit?"

Katie nodded and Tony mirrored her action. Papa smiled and ruffled Tony's hair. "Remember what I told you, kiddo. If you get overwhelmed, I'll help."

"Mm-hm," Tony hummed in agreement.

Papa went into the kitchen and Tony went to his toybox, pulling out a stuffed cat and hugging it close to his chest. He was suddenly glad Papa got him mostly soft toys. He needed the comfort tonight.

Katie got her own toys and sat down in front of Tony. "Hey, Tony. Wanna play anything specifically?"

The boy shook his head.

Katie's smile faltered some. Tony didn't usually say no, so she must be caught off-guard. "Is it okay if I choose a game, then?"

Tony shrugged, keeping his eyes on the ground. He didn't want to cause a scene, he wanted people around him still. But he didn't want to do anything but cry.

"How about we play house, huh?" Katie asked. "We can build it from your Legos!"

Tony grimaced and shook his head.

"Oh," Katie said. "We could play animals? I mean, you already have your cat!"

"Nuh-uh," Tony breathed.

Katie was getting agitated and Tony's heart started hammering in his chest. "Well, what _would_  you like to play?" she asked, impatience in her voice. "You have to want to play _something_!"

That was all it took for Tony to break. "No I don't!" he cried, tears falling down his face. "I don't!"

Katie scooted backwards when he yelled, eyes wide. Papa rushed into the room but Tony couldn't do anything but hug his cat and cry harder. He didn't want to be bad, honestly he didn't, but he couldn't help crying...And then Papa's arms were around him, squeezing, and Papa was whispering calming words into his ear, and Tony could feel himself be rocked. "Ssh, it's okay, baby, it's okay. It's all gonna be fine, okay? Take a few deep breaths if you can, I don't want you to get sick."

Tony sniffled and buried his head in Papa's shoulder. Papa would understand. And even if he didn't, he comforted Tony anyway. That was important. "Papa help," he pleaded.

"How can Papa help, kiddo?" Papa asked.

"Papa help," Tony repeated. He didn't know what he needed, but Papa could find it for him; he could do anything.

"I think someone's had a bad day, hm?" Papa asked. "Let's cuddle a bit on the couch while the food cooks."

Tony nodded and he was picked up, carried to the couch, and placed on the cushions right next to where Papa sat down. Katie came over tentatively. "Is it okay if I sit with you, Tony?"

Tony sniffled again, rubbing his eyes. He was tired, and Katie was trying to be nice, which was more than he could say of most people. "Yeah," he said.

Katie sat on his other side and hugged him. "I'm sorry you're feeling bad, and I'll help any way I can," she swore to him.

Papa wrapped his arms around Tony from the other side and murmured, "You have nothing to be ashamed of here, Tony. No one is gonna make fun of you."

Tony's eyes pricked with fresh tears, and he let them fall. Not because he didn't believe them. In fact, it was the exact opposite. No one had been this nice to him since he could remember outside their family. But...that was okay. He didn't need anyone else. Even if his family screwed up sometimes, they were more than willing to make it up to him. Smiling, he rubbed at his eyes before anyone could see him crying. Family. He actually had a family.

He couldn't believe he was so lucky, after all these years.

Nothing beat getting to spend some time with his favorite people in the whole world, even if they did screw up sometimes.


End file.
